Audio speakers used in headphones and headsets have historically been designed to fit on or in the outer ear so as to conduct sound into the inner ear via the ear canal and ear drum. More recently, alternative approaches to conducting sound into the inner ear have been developed. For example, so called bone conduction headphones are designed to transmit sound into the inner ear via the skull, rather than through the outer ear.
Bone conduction audio technology is growing in popularity due in part to its enhanced safety when used in environments in which interference with ambient sounds is undesirable, such as when a user is driving an automobile or exercising in a public space. However, the emphasis by many manufacturers on providing high fidelity bone conduction audio products has resulted in the cost of such products being undesirably high, particularly for applications in which lower fidelity audio performance is satisfactory.